10 Things to Know About Akshaya Patra Mid-day Meals

Education leads to the all round development in the life of a child. It is a necessary requirement in the progress of a nation. In the government schools, though education is provided freely most of the children tend to be drop outs due to inherent socio-economic factors.  Most of the parents would not be in a condition to send their children to schools with a proper lunch and hence children would have to starve during the lunch time. Without proper food a child will not have the energy to concentrate in the class and gradually they will lose interest in studies. They have to accompany their parents to work for a meagre income to buy a meal at least a day.

The Government of India started the mid-day meal programme keeping in mind the children hailing from low income families in government schools. To reach out the benefit to more and more children the State Governments partners with NGOs like Akshaya Patra to implement the Mid-Day Meal Programme. The programme supplies free mid-day meals on school days for children in government and government aided schools supported under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, and National Child Labour Project schools run by the ministry of labour.

Advantages of Akshaya Patra mid-day meal 

• It is the worlds largest meal programme serving 1.5 million children everyday, across 24 locations in India.
• The not-for-profit organization started the initiative in 2000 with just 1,500 children.
• Addresses two of the most burning challenges in India – hunger and education. 
• Boosts universalisation of primary education which provides free educational opportunities to all children of the society until they complete the age of fourteen years
• Leads to an increase in enrolment in schools as parents are ready to send their children to schools. In the same way students are ready to come to schools.
• Leads to decrease drop outs rates in schools as the children need not go in search of a square meal. 
• Serves as nutritional support to students which suffice the health of children.
• A successful public-private partnership in collaboration with The Central Governments and various State Governments, corporate houses and individual donors.
• Serves nutritious meals to anganwadi children in India so that they can retain a healthy childhood.
• Improves socialization among children from different castes and sects.
• Empower women through employment in the kitchens which would help them to lead an independent life.

In fact, it is because of the success of the Akshaya Patra mid-day meals, that food and education are reached out to multitudes of children in India, thus serving as a catalyst to the progress of our nation. The mission of the NGO is to feed 5 million children by 2020. So let us donate for the children so that the organisation can widen its reach to other states in India. It takes Rs. 750 to feed a child for a year!